Method of elevating water by com pressed a



(No Model.)

S. W. TITUS.

METHOD OF ELBVATING'WATEB. BY COMPRESSED AIR. No. 546,125. Patented Sept. 10, 1895.

WM B I A TTOBNE) ANBIEW msnm.mm-umawasmumu.o.c.

UNITED STATns ATENT SlLAS \V. TITUS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

METHOD OF ELEVATING WATER BY COMPRESSED MR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546, 125, dated September 10, 1895. Application filed January 25, 1895. Serial No. 536,211. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, SILAS W. TITUS, a citizenof the United States, residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Elevating \Vater by Gompressed Air, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relatesto the art of elevating water by the use of compressed air; and my invention is especially applicable to a well or series of wells, constituted by a tube or tubes, driven through a bore or respective bores into a water-bearing stratum, with the intake.

or respective intakes thereof sunk into and in unimpeded communication with said wa-' tor-bearing stratum, and in which the natural pressure at the said water source or stratum causes the water to rise in or through said tube or tubes. In such a well or wells it frequently is found that the static pressure is inadequate to raise the water in the well tube or tubes to a height therein whereat it is dischargeable therefrom by the known means commonly employed I for such purpose namely, a suction-pump or an air-lift submerged in the water column in the well-tube while in the case of a well or wells in which the static pressure is adequate to raise the water in the well tube or tubes so as to produce what is known as a natural flow, such flow is not the approximate maximum at tainable from the static pressure, pwing to the weight of the water column present in each well-tube.

The object of my invention is to efiect and maintain an elevation of the water at such a level in each said well-tube that it may be dischargeable therefrom by known means, such as before recited, or, in the case of a well or wells having a natural flow, to relieve the static pressure of the weight of the water column in each well-tube, so that an approximately maximum discharge of water therefrom by said static pressure may be attained and maintained, and to do this without occuvating water in or through a well-tube or well-tubes, the intake or respective intakes of which are sunk into and have uninterrupted communication with the body of a wator-bearing stratum, and in which the water has rise by static pressure, which comprises the continuous and indefinite injection of air directly-into and within the body of said stratum through a pipe orpipes sunk therein through an earth bore or bores, which are'in the vicinity of 'but independent from the earth bore or bores for said well tube or tubes, and the outlet or respective outlets of which pipes are within the'body of said stratum at a pressure adequate to be exerted through said stratum upon and to overcome the weight of the water column or columns created by said static pressure in said well tube or tubes, whereby the airinjected into the body of said stratum will pass with and induce the movement of the water in said stratum to and upward in said well tube or tubes, substantially as herein set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in vertical sectional elevation a single well of the character set forth in connection with apparatus for practicing my invention; and Fig. 2 is a similar illustration of a group or series of wells in connection with apparatus for practicing my invention therein.

In practicing my invention it will be found economically serviceable only in connection with a well or wells in which there is an ap proximately constant static pressure that acts to carry the water to some certain level in the well tube or tubes or to give a natural flow thereof therefrom, and the invention is intended to serve the purpose, as hereinbefore expressed, of raising the water in the well tube or tubes to a higher level therein than that attainable by the static pressure alone, or to augment the discharge of a flowing well or wells wherein such (low is due to static pressure, and is effected thereby against the weight of the water column or columns in the well-tube or respective tubes.

In carrying out my invention, therefore, air 'is injected directly to and in a water-bearing stratum, into which are sunk the intake or respective intakes of a well-tube or welltubes through a pipe or pipes sunk in said stratum through an earth bore or respect ive bores, which are independent and separate from the earth bore or respective bores for said well tube or tubes, and such injection of the air is constantly maintained at a pressure which is adequate to overcome the weight of the water column or columns created in said well tube or tubes by the static pressure at the water-bearing stratum; and I have found it desirable, and in some cases necessary, to have the air-pressure, which is actually applied directly to and in the waterbearing stratum, somewhat greater than the theoretical pressure required to overcome the weight of the water column or columns in the well tube or tubes when such air-pressure is applied directly to such water column or columns within said well tube or tubes, the reason for this being that the partial diifusion of the air-pressure applied directly to and in the water stratum somewhat diminishes the force of a certain determinate pressure thus applied when it reaches or is felt at the intake or intakes of the well tube or tubes sunk in said stratum; but in no case is it intended, nor will it be found necessary, to apply an air-pressure in excess of what is economically attainable by present known meausthat is to say, in a well tube or tubes sunk to a total depth of, say, two hundred feet, and in which the static pressure raises the water to a height of fifty feet, my invention may be practiced by applying air, in the manner set forth, to the water-bearing stratum at a pressu re of, say, about thirty-five or forty pounds and constantly maintaining such pressure. The theoretical pressure required to overcome the weight of a water column fifty feet high is about twenty-three pounds per square inch; but owing to the possible diifusion. of the applied air-pressure in the water stratum, so that its full eifect would not be felt at the intake or intakes of the well tube or tubes, the desirable pressure thus applied to said stratum will be in the excess above set forth over said theoretical pressure. ner, in a well or wells sunk to the said depth of, say, two hundred feet, and in which the static pressure raises the water to or discharges it at the top of the well tube or tubes, my invention may be practiced by applying air, in the manner set forth, to the water-bearing stratum at a pressure of, say, about one hundred to one hundred and twenty five pounds and constantly maintaining such pressure. The theoretical pressure required to overcome the weight of a water column or columns two hundred feet high is about ninety pounds per square inch; but owing to said possible diffusion of the pressure applied, as set forth, directly in and to the water stratum, the desirable pressure to be thus applied, in order to get the required theoretical force at the base of the; water column or columns in the intake or intakes of the well tube or tubes, will be in the excess above indicated over said theoretical pressure. In either case it will be noted that the pressure to be generated and maintained is one that may be economi- In like man-.

cally attained and perpetuated through the continuous operation of the well or wells, and that the use of my described invention will avoid the occupation, disturbance, or import ing in any way'of the well tube or tubes, leaving the same free throughout their height and area for the movement of the water therein.

My invention may be used in connection with a single well, as shown in Fig. 1, wherein A is the well-tube, which is sunk through an earth-bore into a subterranean water-bearing stratum or source 13, and with its intake it, in unimpeded or uninterrupted communica tion with said stratum or source, by means of an ordinary strainer or slitted section, as shown, and wherein air under pressure. as hereinbefore set forth, drawn from a coinpressor or receiver by a valved connection l), is injected into or applied directly to said watenb earing stratum or source B through a single pipe O, which is sunk through an earthbore that is separate and independent from and in the vicinity of the bore for the tube A, as shown, and with the outlet 0 of said pipe within said stratum or source, or through several pipes C C C C each of which sunk, as described, through an independent eartlnbore, and with their respective outlets c o c c discharging individually within said stratum or source 13, as shown.

Myinvention may also be employed in connection with a number, series, or group of wells in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the several well-tubes are shown at A A A A each sunk through a separate and individual earth-bore to the single waterbearing stratum or source B and with their respective intakes a e o a within and having free and constant communication with said stratum or source 13', and wherein air under pressure, as hereinbefore set forth, drawn from a compressor or reservoir by a valve connection D is injected into or applied directly to said stratum or source B through a pipe or conduit 0 which is sunk in the vicinity of the several tubes A A A A and in the case of a group of wells, such as shown, preferably within the boundary described by a line passing through or inclosing the surface'outlets of said several wells, said pipe or conduit 0 being sunlr through an independent earth-bore into said water-bearing stratum or source and with its outlet 0 discharging within the same,

By means of my invention compressed air may be employed to promote an elevation of water in or through the well-tube from the water-bearing stratum or source by means of compressed air as the motive agent without occupation or disturbance of the well-tube or any part thereof by the apparatus for the introduction or use of the compressed air, but leaving the said well-tube intact and open and unimpeded throughout its area and length for the passage through it of the water from the source thereof.

In the case of a well, the tube of which is sunk to a water-bearing stratum or source,

with-its open intake projected therein, or in the case of anuinber, series, or group of wells, the several tubes of which are independently sunk at a common locality to the same, or a common water-bearing stratum or source, with their respective intakes projected therein, the injection or application of air under pressure to and in the said stratum or source in conformity to my invention, as hereinbefore set forth, will, in a well or wells having a natural flow, act to augment such flow, and when such pressure is thus applied to the degree requisite to equal the weight of the water column or columns in the well tube or tubes, will operate to effect the attainment of a flow from said well or wells approximating the maximum obtainable from the natural pressure at the water source or stratum; while in a well or wells, wherein the water has a natural rise to a greater or less height in the tube or tubes, the said injection or application of air under pressure to and in the water-bearing stratum or source, in conformity with my invention, as described, will act to increase the said rise of the water in the tube or tubes, so that either a flow may be obtained or the water, in the case of deep wells, wherein the natural pressure is comparatively slight, may be raised to a level in the tube or tubes, whereat it may be discharged therefrom by suitable known pumping appliances.

To lift and discharge the water column from a well-tube in which it has been partially elevated by the application of air under pressure, as set forth, directly to the water stratum, in conformity to my invention, an ordinary air-lift pipeE may be employed, having valved connection c with the supply of compressed air and extending within the welltube to near the bottom of the water column therein, with its discharge 6 opening into the base of such column. I have found this means effectual, convenient, and economical for the purpose, in connection with the apparatus shown for carrying out my invention.

The degree of contiguity of the air pipe or pipes to the well tube or tubes in their respective independent earth-bores in the vicinity of each other may be varied within comparatively wide limits, providing the said air pipe or pipes intended to affect, by their air-injection into the water-bearing stratum, the altitude or movement of the water column or columns in said tube or tubes lead into and have their outlet or outlets within the water-bearing stratum or source common to the several tubes and pipes; I have attained effective results under such circumstances when the air pipe or pipes were located in bores fifty feet and sometimes even a greater distance from the bores for the well-tubes, and in other cases I have attained the desired altitude or flow of the water in or through a group of well-tubes, all within an area of about one hundred square feet, with an air-pipe of adequate capacity located in a bore approximately equidistant from the bores for the several well-tubes.

The use of my invention will be'fhund advantageous in connection with a series of driven wells, where said wells are severally composed of a small tube sunk into the earth, the said tubes being, say, one and one-half to two or two and one-half inchesin diameter. Such tubes are too small to permit the introduction into them individually of air-lift pipes; but the elevation of water in them from the water stratum in which they are sunk can be readily promoted by air injected under pressure, as hereinbefore set forth, directly into the said stratum through apipe or pipes sunk in separate and independent earth-bores to said stratum, and the continuance of such injection indefinitely.

I am aware that in order to restore the exhausted or diminished static pressure in an oil well or wells, due to the escape of natural gas therefrom, air, gas, or other suitable fluid, under a pressure of one thousand poundsper square inch, has been introduced into the up per part of the cavity in the rock tapped by several wells through a pipe anchored and packed in the well hole, which was central of said series thereof, so that the introduced fluid would act upon the surface of the oil in said cavity to drive the oil to a lower level in the cavity and thereby raise it in the other well-tubes tapping said cavity, thus ultimately removing all oil from the cavity and enabling the clean-up to be effected; but the herein-described method, which is the subject matter of this invention, (litters essentially from such treatment of an oil well or wells. The air-pressure required in my method is very much less than that demanded for said stated treatment of an oil cavity, being only such as is adequate to be exerted through the water-bearing stratum to overcome the weight of the water column or columns created by static pressure in the well tube or tubes, any such excess of that pressure, as one thousand pounds per square inch, it introduced into the water-bearing stratum, operating to force the water aside and to prevent its inflow at the intakes of the well-tubes, so that the air alone finds vent thereat; and it is an essential feature of my method that the air should be injected directly into the body of the water stratum, so that the injected air will exert its pressure within said body of said stratum and thereby pass with and induce the movement of the water in the stratum to and into the well-tube intakes and upward in said well-tubes.

- What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The method of elevating water in or through a well-tube, or tubes, the intake, or respective intakes, of which are sunk into and have uninterruped communication with the body of IIO a water-bearing stratum, and in which the water has rise by static pressure, which concreated by said static pressure in said welltube, or tubes; whereby the injected air will pass with, and induce the movement of, the water in said stratum to, and upward in, said well-tube, or tubes; substantiaiiy as and for the purpose specified.

SILAS W. TITUS.

Witnesses:

ARDEN S. FITCH, A. T. FALEs. 

